Rain throughout the area has TVA working to keep up with the extra water.
Officials have been allowing water to spill over Watts Bar dam for around a week now. Seven other dams downstream on the Tennessee River are also spilling thanks to several inches of rain in parts of the state.

Since those dams have created more room for water, officials plan to begin spilling at Fort Loudon dam next.

"Our plan is to go into a spill operation at Fort Loudon tomorrow which means will be running turbines at capacity, generating as much electricity as we can, but that excess water will be passing over the spillway gates in a very controlled manner and keep the water moving downstream," said David Bowling with TVA.

As of Tuesday night, TVA was not spilling water from tributary lakes such as Douglas, Cherokee and Norris.

Officials plan to gradually draw down those lakes in the coming weeks as they do each year for the winter. They said the water is still too high for fly fishers to use them for now.

This is going to be a long winter for tailwater fisherman at the rate things have been going...guess I'll be hitting the mountains more despite the cold temperatures. Better to be out on a stream than not fishing at all...

__________________
"Then He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" Matthew 4:19

This is going to be a long winter for tailwater fisherman at the rate things have been going...guess I'll be hitting the mountains more despite the cold temperatures. Better to be out on a stream than not fishing at all...

Yes, it does seem to be above average for late-year precipitation. Maybe we can assume that we may get more than average snowfall this winter. I bet there will be some significant snow at Mt. Leconte this evening. I guess I will be stuck at home tying flies and watching videos until the Clinch eases up. Looks like that may be mid-January at this rate.

BTW; I drifted the Clinch last Saturday from the 61 Bridge to Clinton City Park Ramp-don't ask me why; basically because of logistics and time constraints. The water was flowing pretty hard and I did not even see a fish; much less catch one. I am sure most of the fish were holding steady at the bottom or hugging the banks to conserve energy and to be efficient feeders. I saw tons of trash, a few gnats, one sunk boat, a child's 4 wheeler, and some beavers foraging on the bank. It was nice to get out on the water and in the sunshine. But, the fishing sure stank.

I was able to hit the clinch yesterday around noon. I was fishing from the bank, (shawn and rod, im sure you know where) the fishing was very good! Jeremy caught the smallest fish, it was around 12-13". The rest were slots.

I was able to hit the clinch yesterday around noon. I was fishing from the bank, (shawn and rod, im sure you know where) the fishing was very good! Jeremy caught the smallest fish, it was around 12-13". The rest were slots.

Bro,
You guys must be synchronized to be fishing there as a group. Glad you are able to get out and fish. I think they are sluicing right now(?).

Bro,
You guys must be synchronized to be fishing there as a group. Glad you are able to get out and fish. I think they are sluicing right now(?).

must be, the water has been well over the concrete there. I really need to get a pic of us all casting down there. lets see, the most we have had at once is about 8. synchronized is a great word to describe it. Don't get me wrong, it is not ideal to fish from any bank, but if I want to fish with this flow, I had to adapt my techniques. although, it does get real exciting when two or three get a fish on at once. Mike has the best fish-on shuffle.